Inzamam-ul-Haq, the legendary Pakistani batsman, has reignited a controversy by defending his accusations of ball-tampering against the Indian team during the T20 World Cup Super Eights match against Australia. This comes after Indian skipper Rohit Sharma indirectly suggested Inzamam “use his brain” regarding the bizarre allegations.
Inzamam Questions Rohit’s Expertise, Maintains Stance
Inzamam, appearing on the same Pakistani talk show where he initially made the claims, took offence to Rohit’s remarks. He downplayed the need for Rohit Sharma to explain reverse swing, stating, “We shall definitely use our brains, but the first thing is that he (Rohit) admitted that it’s happening [reverse swing]. So it means what we observed is correct.” Inzamam further asserted his belief that Rohit “does not need to tell us how reverse swing works,” implying that Pakistan has a deeper understanding of the technique.
Inzamam deflected from the core issue of ball-tampering, instead emphasizing the role of the umpires. He claimed his original comments were simply “suggestions to the umpires, to keep their eyes open since the ball was moving around in the 15th over.” Inzamam restated his stance, urging the umpires to “keep their eyes open” and suggesting, “If the umpires too use their brain, it will be better for everyone involved.”
Controversy Gains Momentum
Inzamam’s initial accusations, fueled by support from his fellow panellist Salim Malik (who has a history of cricketing controversies), spread quickly. However, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who frequently faced Inzamam-led Pakistan teams, believed the matter was blown out of proportion. Sehwag felt the reporter who questioned Rohit “escalated the matter and created controversy.” He suggested that Rohit might have been better served by avoiding the comment altogether.
This exchange between Inzamam and Rohit adds another layer to the already intense India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. With both sides passionate about the sport, it remains to be seen if this incident will simmer or escalate further. Only time will tell if any official investigation will be launched or if the cricketing world will move on to the next fixture.
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